Through definition, evolution means change through time, and without evolution many questions in biology cannot be answered. Why do birds fly? Why do children resemble their parents? How do plants and animals survive in extreme environments? Why is there so much diversity in living organisms on earth? All of the answers to these questions have a foundation in evolution. From a scientific standpoint, there is no other way to explain the process in which organisms have developed and derived from earlier forms during the history of the earth.
First, we will explore the history of life by understanding what the earth was like and how life on earth began. Exploring the geologic time scale, experiments on spontaneous generation and modern ideas on origins of life, and the evolution of cells, students will be able to develop a deeper understanding of the start of life on earth. Next, we will look into theories of evolution, most specifically those of Charles Darwin and natural selection. The knowledge students gained from lessons on genetics will be reinforced when we explore the mechanisms and patterns of evolution. Lastly, to tie the unit together and allow students to make personal connections to the material, we will explore primate and human evolution.
This unit consists of more than two weeks worth of lessons, so only the first five lessons are detailed. All of the lessons are planned for ninety-minute blocks that meet every other day.
Through definition, evolution means change through time, and without evolution many questions in biology cannot be answered. Why do birds fly? Why do children resemble their parents? How do plants and animals survive in extreme environments? Why is there so much diversity in living organisms on earth? All of the answers to these questions have a foundation in evolution. From a scientific standpoint, there is no other way to explain the process in which organisms have developed and derived from earlier forms during the history of the earth.
First, we will explore the history of life by understanding what the earth was like and how life on earth began. Exploring the geologic time scale, experiments on spontaneous generation and modern ideas on origins of life, and the evolution of cells, students will be able to develop a deeper understanding of the start of life on earth. Next, we will look into theories of evolution, most specifically those of Charles Darwin and natural selection. The knowledge students gained from lessons on genetics will be reinforced when we explore the mechanisms and patterns of evolution. Lastly, to tie the unit together and allow students to make personal connections to the material, we will explore primate and human evolution.
This unit consists of more than two weeks worth of lessons, so only the first five lessons are detailed. All of the lessons are planned for ninety-minute blocks that meet every other day.
Home